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Role of Middle Turbinate Biopsy in the Diagnosis of Fulminant Invasive Fungal Rhinosinusitis
Author(s) -
Boyd Gillespie M.,
Huchton David M.,
O'Malley Bert W.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1097/00005537-200011000-00013
Subject(s) - fulminant , medicine , biopsy , surgery
Objective To determine the efficacy of middle turbinate biopsy in the diagnosis of fulminant invasive fungal rhinosinusitis. Study Design Nonrandomized prospective study. Methods Directed middle turbinate biopsy was performed in 25 patients suspected of having fulminant invasive fungal rhinosinusitis. All patients were immunocompromised and had fever of unknown origin, symptoms of rhinosinusitis, or both. Results Six patients were found to have fungal invasion on histopathological review (6 true‐positive findings), disease developed in 2 patients with negative results on biopsy (2 false‐negative findings), and disease never developed in 17 patients with negative results on biopsy (17 true‐negative findings), resulting in an overall sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 100%. Conclusions Middle turbinate biopsy is a safe and effective method of making a timely diagnosis of fulminant invasive fungal rhinosinusitis. The added morbidity and cost of surgery can be avoided in the patient with a negative finding on biopsy. However, the effect of earlier diagnosis on overall patient survival is unclear at present.